1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus and a computer product.
2. Description of the Related Art
In using an image processing apparatus, such as a copier, fax machine, printer, and a multifunction product (MFP) having combined functions of copying, faxing, printing, a user has to selects a function to execute from functions the image processing apparatus offers, and to make setting for desired functional contents. For example, the user needs to make setting on the condition of a document, such as the type and the density of the document, on various image processes, such as zoom, single-side/double-side printing, and margin size adjustment, and on postprocessing, such as sorting, stapling, and punching.
A conventional image processing apparatus provides enormous numbers of setting items and a plurality of setting contents for each item to allow a user to execute a variety of setting. The user, who wants to obtain a desired result, is required to select a type of setting out of those enormous setting items and contents.
The user, however, has no way to know what kind of a process result to receive according to setting contents in using the conventional image processing apparatus. For example, the user has to wait for actual print-out from the image processing apparatus to know a print result for the user. The obtained print result often ends up in a kind of finished product that the user does not expect to get.
To solve the above problem, some apparatuses and systems have been proposed, which include a preview display apparatus (see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-5471) that displays a preview image showing the state of a printed result, an image processing apparatus (see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-103726) that displays a preview image showing image data printed on a paper corresponding to selected paper image data when the paper image data to express a paper style of a different paper quality is selected, and an image forming system (see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 1999-234503) that displays a preview image of data made by synthesizing a plurality of edited and processed image data.
The conventional techniques offer a function of only displaying a preview of a single image, or an image synthesized from a plurality of images, that shows the result of image processes executed according to setting contents.
A user checks such preview images to make setting again for correction, which allows the user to perform setting operation while checking an image for a finished condition before proceeding to a print-out process, and finally obtain desired image output.
The applicant of the present invention has proposed a color reproduction area corrective method. This method is carried out by assessing the image quality of an output color image on the basis of characteristic quantities extracted from an input color image and the output color image, determining a color reproduction area corrective method offering a highest assessment value among a plurality of color reproduction area corrective methods, and correcting the input color image into an output color image using the determined color reproduction area corrective method (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 1997-74494).
Such a conventional technique as disclosed in the Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-103726, however, offers an advantage of merely displaying a preview of an image resulting from an image process executed according to setting contents in the form of one image or a plurality of images synthesized into an image, or merely displaying a preview of an image resulting from a series of processes including an image process, a printing process, and a post-process. The conventional technique, therefore, does not allow a user to check a process result sufficiently for specific items to focus on, for example, for such image quality adjustment items as sharpness adjustment of adjusting the sharpness of character outlines or smoothness of photographs, and color adjustment of correcting hues. This requires the improvement of the conventional technique in carrying out easy and proper setting for an image process enabling such image quality adjustment.
According to the conventional technique disclosed in the Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 1997-74494, characteristic quantities are extracted from an input color image and an output color image to carry out proper color reproduction area correction. An output color image resulting from color reproduction area correction, however, is just displayed to merely offer a final outcome, which makes it impossible for a user to check characteristic parts of the output color image highly precisely to assess the final outcome. This also requires the improvement of the conventional technique in carrying out easy and proper setting for an image process enabling such check on the characteristic parts.